|
A refugee camp is visible from behind the fence, but not accessible from the street, the entry is barred. Similar to a display in an anthropological exhibit, a map is mounted on the two fences separating the lot from the street access.
 Text on the map communicates the perceptions of the Bosnian war and general (military) philosophy. The participant is lead from the physical representation of a refugee camp, its function as a temporary shelter and settlement, to the camp as a plan for the war itself.
The text cites the number of refugees world wide to date, as well as the number specifically displaced in Bosnia. Other texts comment on ethnic propaganda, UNPROF, humanitarian aid, cultural survival and other issues about the war.
With recent legislation such as Proposition 187, immigrants, refugees and illegal aliens are certainly impacting the city?s political and economic landscape. We wish to draw attention to the fact that most people find themselves in these various categories due to forces beyond their control. They deserve respect, understanding and legal protection.
A voicemail system accompanies the exhibit and features personal interviews with refugees from Bosnia in the United States. This aims to connect the abstract concepts of the map with individual identities on the phone. In addition to the interviews, the voice mail system lists resources for direct aid for those displaced by the war.
Medium: customized tents, benches, camping gear, signage, brochures, telephone, voicemail system on computer Date: 1995
 |